After the attacks on September 11, 2001, an architectural detail has appeared on new design plans of skyscrapers in New York City – a façade made of heavy structural columns. The new 53W53 mixed use tower on 53rd Street, used 1800 tons in a lattice-like pattern to not only maintain an architectural appearance near the top of its 82 floors, but also offer added security the engineers are counting on.

The midtown masterpiece, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, is adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the first three floors of the building will house MoMA exhibits, while the other floors will offer a variety of luxury homes. Towering 1,050 feet, the floors above the 47th story offer unobstructed views of Central Park.

Constructing the building took a lot of patience, as the project was originally planned in 2006 but then abandoned and delayed. It was eventually revived in 2013 and construction was finished in 2018. The installation of the building’s unique “diagrid” façade also took extra communication and logistics as the hot-dip galvanized beams and façade panels had to be loaded so that when they arrived they could be off-loaded in the correct order. Once on site, the beams were hoisted 60 stories into the air for the iron workers. It was critical to ensure the correct beams were lifted to their final destinations as the puzzle was pieced together around the building. 

Considering the height of the beams and their importance for both visual appearance and safety, it was important they were able to withstand the environment as maintenance would not only be costly, but also very difficult. Hot-dip galvanizing provides the beams a proven protection system with decades of historic durability. Hot-dip galvanized steel is now displayed prominently in one of the world’s most famous cities: providing impressive protection and visual appeal to New York’s residents and visitors now and for generations to come.